Advancing our Founders’ Vision

Official Opening Day of the splendid new Community Music School of Greater Vancouver with its jewel – Koerner Recital Hall – at Vanier Park.The Courier May 13th, 1976. Photo: Yunge-Bateman

A Cultural Hub for the Community and a Premier Centre for Music Education

The Campaign Koerner Recital Hall – Transformed is the largest-ever fundraising effort undertaken by the Vancouver Academy of Music (VAM) since its re-location in 1976 from its home on 12th Avenue & Cambie Street to Vanier Park. The combination of leadership commitments alongside gifts from the entire VAM community will, by the conclusion of this campaign, have a transformative and sustaining impact on the learning environment for VAM students and provide an enhanced performance venue for Vancouver’s performing arts community. The Koerner Recital Hall project will serve as a key component in strengthening Vanier Park’s role as a cultural hub for arts and education.

Since 1976, Koerner Recital Hall has been the platform for such luminaries as Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, Josef Gingold, Aldo Parisot, Menahem Pressler, and Yo-Yo Ma. Moreover, forty years of VAM students have strong formative memories of Koerner Recital Hall. This renovation will not only be a transformation but a legacy to ensure that future generations will have memories that will be as exceptional, formative and lasting.

The generosity of the collective community of donors and funders and their determination to help shape the future of VAM will be an extension of our founders’ legacy – they would be truly proud to see how far their vision has been advanced.